The main visual for the 13th edition of the festival was created by animation director Shingo Natsume, who will serve as an international jury member for the Feature Competition and whose latest theatrical film, ghost – end of night, is set for release in February 2027.

Message

When I was a child, I remember looking out from a train running along the coastline at the northern sea, and feeling an incredible energy in the rough waves crashing against the drifting snow. The child looking back at us through the window represents that image etched in my memory. In a way, the creator is always looking back at us from the screen.
I am also honored to take part in the festival as a jury member. I am already looking forward to encountering new sensibilities and a wide variety of expressions I have yet to discover.

Profile

 

NATSUME Shingo

Animator and director. In 2014, he made his TV directorial debut with “Space Dandy”. He went on to direct several acclaimed TV series, including “One-Punch Man” (Season 1, 2015), “ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept.” (2017), and “Boogiepop and Others” (2019). In 2021, he directed the original TV anime “Sonny Boy”, for which he served as director, scriptwriter and based on. The series received critical acclaim both in Japan and internationally, and was selected for the TV Films Competition at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. In 2022, he directed the feature film “The Tatami Time Machine Blues”. His first original animated feature as director, “ghost – end of night”, is scheduled for release in 2027.